U.S. Army wants a harder-hitting pistol

[TheLocNar]

We have nothing to fear. Dear Leader will take care of us.   

Yeah, imagine if we saved the more than one trillion dollars wasted on that Iraq misadventure. Things would be a lot different for all of us today.

Back OT... indeed a slow news day. Rest assured, that under-the-table deals have already been made.

[s0nspark]

9mm military ball ammo is less than ideal for sure... but I would think that the real emphasis should be placed on realistic training and more practice. As many here no doubt realize, pistol skills are very perishable. This would be exacerbated IMO if they moved to a higher-pressure chambering.

[jwc007]

  Now, I wonder if we could improve 9mm performance by going to a truncated cone FMJ. 

This was studied back in the early 1970's by the USAF, who wanted to increase effectiveness of the .38 Special and 9mm handguns used by sentries guarding Landing Strips.  The research contract was given to Hornady and it did prove somewhat successful, but was never widely adopted as plain FMJ-RN's were cheaper. Note that the current Hornady 9mm 124 grain Flat Point was developed from this study.  The design proved more successful with Target Shooters than the US DOD, as they cut cleaner holes in targets and provided better feed reliability than SWC's.

  Or come up with a round nose that has an air cavity under the nose that would allow the nose to crush under impact to become more of a flat point. This may even be enough to cause the bullet to lose stability and begin to tumble there by creating more tissue damage. 

Sounds like the Federal EFMJ-RN design, sold in areas that prohibit JHP's.

[stitch1870]

Now, I wonder if we could improve 9mm performance by going to a truncated cone FMJ.  Or come up with a round nose that has an air cavity under the nose that would allow the nose to crush under impact to become more of a flat point.

Not a bad idea, just issue it and call it "match grade" ammo. DM's and snipers get away with using HPBT because the HP was designed to increase accuracy and not solely for damage capabilities, so they're able to skirt around that little addendum that the US didn't sign but follows for some retard reason.

[jameslovesjammie]

It's been widely known by revolver shooters that a wide flat nose or wide long nose bullet gives the best penetration and tissue damage.  A RNFP with a 65-70% meplat would greatly improve the terminality (is that even a word?!?) of the 9mm versus a round nose FMJ.

[jwc007]

A RNFP with a 65-70% meplat would greatly improve the terminality (is that even a word?!?) of the 9mm versus a round nose FMJ.

I think the word you're looking for is "lethality", but your intended meaning is clear.  I would like to try such a Bullet as you describe in the 124 to 135 grain range.

[1SOW]

I really don't see the military getting away from 9mm as it has been mentioned. I personally like the Beretta, but never had to use it when I was in the military. And you have to remember that all of our troops that carry the 92 aren't elite and proficient with the gun like most of the units that probably have had to use it in a life or death situation. Granted it was over 20 years ago, but I was infantry, and in the 82nd, and we still only fired the 92 once a year to qualify. Proficiency only comes with practice, and Im pretty sure your regular ground pounders still don't get enough good handgun training. My apologies for going political earlier.

The pistol is considered just a one MOA notch above having a knife on your belt.  It's considered a weapon of last resort for the troops.   Having a more effective pistol is not considered a direct benefit to mission effectiveness.
Special Ops/Seals/guys-in-black, etc.,  do train heavily with all manner of firearms appropriate for their missions.

[jameslovesjammie]

A RNFP with a 65-70% meplat would greatly improve the terminality (is that even a word?!?) of the 9mm versus a round nose FMJ.

I think the word you're looking for is "lethality", but your intended meaning is clear.  I would like to try such a Bullet as you describe in the 124 to 135 grain range.

Lethality!  That's the word I was looking for!   

Here's such a bullet at 140 grains.

[jwc007]

Very nice Bullet Design!    Something like that would serve nicely! 

[JimThornTX]

I wouldn't look for the DOD to spend a BUNCH of money on handgun and ammunition testing/buying in this time of Mil cut-backs and National bebt. DOD will be spending a LOT time trying to make cut-backs with minimum troop losses.

According to the article, switching to a totally different handgun would be cheaper than continuing to use the Beretta.

As part of the joint requirement process for MHS, Army weapons officials did a "very thorough cost-benefit analysis" that showed supported the effort, Easlick said.

"We have got an old fleet of M9s right now; it's costing us more to replace and repair M9s than it would cost to go get a new handgun," he said.

[Otto N Sure]

Since they are looking for a "new" pistol and that the armed forces is giving a thumbs down to the 9 mm, then why not think a little out of the box? I think they should be examining a caliber that has been used in a very cool CZ, 7.62 x 25.

It's a .30 caliber and super fast. Recoil is manageable and with load development it could be extremely lethal. What we need is an updated CZ-52!!

Otto

[stitch1870]

Because the military is slow to change, and like I said earlier US forces generally share log-trains and outpost locations with friendly forces, so it's a lot easier on everyone if there's caliber commonality between everyone. Honestly the only two pistols I could see making headway in the trials, that are an actual improvement over the M9, would be the FNX9 or CZ 75B or BD although the military would probably opt for the 75BD because of the decocker. But because of US Mil brass seeing CZ as "well they used to be commies, they couldn't possibly be good guys now" I doubt the CZ would even make it into the trial rotation.

[Psyop96]

The P-09/P-07 series might be more suited to mil senses, logistics and budgets.

I might just give the US Mil brass some more credit to know who their 21st century allies are. Across the Czech Republic today, bells tolled and flags are at half-staff in memory of the four Czech soldiers whose remains arrived home today. They were killed by a suicide bomber near Bagram and another soldier was seriously wounded. RIP to our fallen Czech allies.